TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Joseph F. Vitale which would enhance the penalties for trespassing on private or posted property if the trespasser has a firearm in his or her possession was approved by the Senate Law, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee today by a vote of 4-0.
“When a hunter enters private property while wielding a firearm, the potential for a tragic outcome cannot be ignored,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex. “New Jersey provides designated areas for hunting, and most hunters can recognize which areas are out of bounds. However, for those one or two cases when a hunter strays beyond the acceptable boundaries and into someone’s backyard, both the homeowner’s safety and the safety of the hunter are now in jeopardy, and we need to have strong penalties to deter hunters from going too far.”